Not a Fish
by ChimeraDragon
Summary: John and Rodney meet a shape-shifter.


bTitle: Not a Fish/b  
>bAuthor:Chimera Dragonb  
>bGenre: Humorb  
>bPrompt: Shape-shifting Extraterrestrials b  
>bWord Count: 2147b  
>bRating: Tb  
>bWarnings: Noneb  
>bSummary: The expedition meet some new off-world friends that aren't always what they look like.b 

"It's a fish."

"He's not a fish!"

"It looks like a fish."

"So? Your so-called whales are more like fish than whales!"

"It swims like a fish."

"Not everything that uses that motion is a fish!"

"It looks like it."

"He's not an it! He's male!"

"HE breathes water... like a fish."

"You can be such an ass, McKay," John pouted and moved the tank away from Rodney. He looked down at the beautiful purple bodies, gold finned creature that was swimming lazily around. It was roughly the size of both of John's hands together and had clear, intelligent gold eyes.

"I'm just calling like I see it, Colonel," Rodney replied. He briefly looked over and noted the not-fish was very pretty but hardly worth interrupting him in the middle of his project.

"He's right, McKay, you are being a bit crass."

Rodney's head snapped up and he looked around the lab. It was just him and John.

And the not-fish.

"Please tell me you're working on a ventriloquism act," Rodney practically whined as he turned to John with blue eyes that were wide with shock.

"No. He said that. I told you, he's not a fish. Well, not really..." John replied lamely. "He wanted to come see Atlantis first hand, and share information. And Elizabeth agreed." He shrugged as though this was normal.

"He's a talking fish!" Rodney exclaimed.

"I am a mammal," the not-fish sighed as he came up to the surface and took a gulp of air.

"But!" Rodney sputtered.

"And I have a name. I have a labyrinth breathing system in this form that allows me to breathe either air or water. I need air to speak properly, any other way it would be very garbled. And it would likely sound like I was drowning instead of talking."

Rodney really looked like he was ready to pass out or run screaming from the room.

John merely grinned at him.

"So ... what's your name?" Rodney asked after several moments of silence.

"Merroon," the not-fish replied smoothly. He rolled the 'r's a little but it still sounded very cool to Rodney. "And my race spend most of our time in this form."

"This form?" Rodney asked intrigued, he took a step closer, limping slightly.

"Yes, we can shift our form. And to an extent we can read minds. More what people project; or think at us, but this form has hidden us from the Wraith for generations. They come to Cull and perhaps catch a few, but the rest are hidden and they never find out," Merroon replied, he spun in a circle to show off his scales. "I would shift for you, but your Doctor Weir insisted that I remain in a form that is easily contained until your people know of my true intentions. I came here on behalf of my people. To learn and share knowledge."

"That's... I can't believe …" Rodney sat down heavily on a nearby stool and let his head sink into his hands as he processed the information. "That's a lot to process."

"I am curious why you didn't accompany your team, you would have seen many more of my people, all in various forms," Merroon said.

"I have a severely sprained ankle," Rodney replied as he looked up again. "It was swollen to nearly twice it's normal size when I got up this morning. If I'm not able to run then I can end up as Wraith-bait. So another one of my scientists went instead. I don't remember who."

"I see. We have herbs and creams that help with injuries. How did you attain such a wound?"

"I was try to help move some equipment and one of the previously waterlogged stairs collapsed. I went down and the box ended up smashing into my ankle when I landed."

John was sitting back with a smile on his face as Rodney and Merroon conversed, happy they were getting along.

"That is most unfortunate. If we come to an agreement, my people would be happy to assist you in checking any areas of the city that are full of water or dangerous for … your people. We can shift very quickly and adapt to a form that can help keep us from harm."

"You said Weir said you can't be in a form we can't easily contain, right? Could you turn into something that walks on land?" Rodney asked, unintentionally thinking longingly of the cat he had left at home when they set out to take their one-way journey into another galaxy.

"You wish to see if I can turn into this … furred creature?" Merroon asked; swimming sideways instead of cocking his head, and picking up on Rodney's thoughts about the size and variety of cats.

"Um, if you don't mind," Rodney replied, embarrassed. "You don't have to if you don't want to!"

"I would be delighted. I love to try new forms out. Colonel, would you remove me from the carrier and place me on the counter so that I may attempt this for your Doctor McKay?" Merroon asked as he turned in the tank to look at John.

"Sure," John replied. He took off his wrist band and carefully placed his hand in the water, waiting until Merroon was in his hand to lift him out. He carefully set him on the counter and stepped back.

Rodney and John watched with rapt attention as Merroon's body shifted and grew larger. His front fins elongated into furry legs, his scales became fur. His tail split and became and long thin cat tail and two legs. And in just a few moments a cat stood on the table before them.

"You know, the color is a little off," John murmured as he stared.

"He's purple with gold stripes!" Rodney said bluntly, his mouth hung open slightly and he couldn't stop staring, too intrigued by the play of color over the fur.

It was true. Merroon had changed into a fairly regular sized cat, but his eye were the color of pure gold, and his fur was a deep, enchanting purple with bright golden stripes.

"Is this not right? It is very hard to change our coloring," Merroon lamented. His feline head bowed and he looked at the table.

"No!" Rodney insisted as he hopped off the stool and hobbled the few steps over to the table. "Well, I mean … yes. Your coloring is off, but you're a very handsome purple and gold cat. And the proportions are all correct." He gave the 'cat' a once over and nodded. "The tail and legs are proportionate to your body and you got the slitted pupils right on. Don't beat yourself up over it."

John gave Rodney a funny look as the other man tried to soothe their guest. It was something he had never seen before. Rodney comforting someone they had just met, and wasn't on their team.

"Besides, your fur looks so soft and silky. Not many real cats can boast that without having to get brushed very regularly. And even then it's not guaranteed," Rodney's hand drifted over to Merroon but stopped at the last moment before he could pet him.

"Are you certain?" Merroon asked, he looked up at the hand and gave it a thoughtful look before nuzzling into it.

"I'm positive!" Rodney replied as he allowed the cat to rub up against his hand. "Did you want me to … pet you?"

"Petting? Is that what you call this? It feels like a back scratch and massage all over," Merroon replied as Rodney's hands automatically started rubbing and scratching gently. "Oh, right there, behind the ears!"

Rodney smiled and his face softened as he indulged the not-cat.

A few minutes went by before John couldn't hold it in any longer. "You look adorable, McKay!" he burst out with a laugh.

"Shut up," came the reply in unison as he got equal glares. One gold and the other blue.

"Sorry, but we really should be going back to see Elizabeth. Did you wanna stay like that Merroon?"

"Yes. I would. I would also like to try a different mode of transportation, if Doctor McKay is alright with it," Merroon gave Rodney's broad shoulders a calculating look.

"You wanna ride on my shoulders?" Rodney asked, picking up on the direction of the alien's gaze.

"If you would not mind. I like you. You are honest and do not hide things that do not need to be hidden. Would you allow me the honor?" Merroon asked, he made a bow, bending his front paws so his head nearly touched the table.

"Sure, but I'm still a little wobbly," Rodney replied. "Wouldn't you rather ride on John? He's more steady than I am."

"But he doesn't have inviting shoulders," Merroon stated, his tone was very mater-of-fact.

"True enough. He looks like a bean pole," Rodney snickered and offered his hands to allow Merroon and easy way to climb up on him. It only took a few seconds for the alien to get comfortably settled on the scientist's shoulders.

"So, we have a meeting with Elizabeth, right?" Rodney asked as he took a small, limping step. Merroon didn't seem fazed by the motion at all.

"You realize the last two numbers in the calculation on that," a paw pointed at one of the whiteboards in the lab, "are reversed. It is likely where you are having problems with the outcome. Simply changed their places and you will find your answer."

Rodney turned and looked at the board. He cocked his head to the side for a moment before nodding. "How did you catch that?"

"I am good with numbers."

"So am I," John pouted and stubbed his boot into the floor by the door.

"Yes, Colonel, but you didn't notice the mistake. However, you do tend to catch the ones my minions make all the time," Rodney replied as he passed John. He unconsciously gave the other man a scratch on the head before heading out the door.

John unconsciously closed his eyes for the move and blinked them open in surprise. "Did you just... pet me?"

"Um, I guess so," Rodney replied looking at him with a shrug of indifference. "You looked like you needed it, and I'm not really the hugging type."

"Okay..."

"It is very nice, yes?" Merroon asked as John walked next to them. "He has very nice and knowledgeable hands."

"Um, yeah," John replied hesitantly, he felt a little off kilter.

"What is a dog?" Merroon asked suddenly.

Rodney started laughing for a moment. "You shouldn't be picking up on my thoughts like that. And it's a compliment, Colonel. Before you get insulted. On our world we have these animals that are very loyal, and usually pretty smart. We call them dogs," Rodney explained.

"If this day gets any weirder ..." John sighed.

"This is a typical day in the Pegasus Galaxy," Rodney replied in a sing-song voice as he continued to hobble along, favoring his ankle. He continued talking with Merroon about mathimatics as they got into the transporter. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, I'm coming," John said as he looked up and saw Rodney and his not-cat friend staring at him. He shook his head and stepped in with them. "You know..."

The bright light of the transporter flashed and the doors opened outside the conference room.

"You're right. This is just a normal day in Pegasus," John finished as they came face-to-face with Elizabeth.

"Where's our guest?" Elizabeth asked, looking puzzled for a moment.

"Right here," Merroon said from his obviously comfortable perch on Rodney's shoulders. "I find your Doctor McKay to be a fascinating and honest person. I believe an arrangement can be made between our people. And I have noticed he is injured. When it is time for me to leave, if he would like to come through the Ring of the Ancestors, my people would be most happy to help him out. I belive some of your healers would be interested in coming along as well."

"We call them doctors," Rodney said as he sat down at the table.

"He's not a fish anymore," Elizabeth said quietly to John.

"I know. But as Rodney put it, it's just another day in Pegasus," John replied with a shrug.

The End


End file.
